The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”

2 Kings 7:19

He didn’t have to speak. His job was to prop the king up when he learned on his hands. But the officer poked his nose where it did not belong and found himself challenging the faithfulness of God’s word with fatal consequences (2 Kings 7:19).

There was war between Israel and Aram. The king of Aram mobilizes his entire army and lays siege to Israel (6:24). Israel is plunged into a severe famine so bad that reports of cannibalism reaches Israel’s king. He is devastated and expresses his helplessness. But instead of seeking God’s face, he goes after Elisha as the cause of Israel’s woes (26-31). Sounds familiar?

It’s amazing what extreme crucible often does to us. For, suffering has a way of blurring our vision of God and making us odiously canal. We may pray for God’s intervention alright. However, we often seek support or deliverance from other places, or we begin to play the blame game with others we suspect are our enemies; and that’s what the king of Israel did.

God is merciful and gracious. He brings this message of deliverance from Elisha to the king.

“Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria” (7:1).

Isn’t that good news to jump at and rejoice in the Lord, praising and thanking Him? Unfortunately, the officer on whose arm the king is leaning pushes back with contemptible disbelief.

“Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”

What a fatal blunder!

You see, where there is much sin, unbelief suffocates faith and clouds the reality and ability of God.

“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!” And that’s exactly what happened the following day.

God caused panic among the Arameans in the night. They left everything and run for their lives. Israel was delivered from the famine. The officer who sneered at God’s promise was crushed to death at the city gate as people rushed out for the booty (5-7, 18-20).

God’s promises are always “Yes,” and we must always say, “Amen” to them (2 Cor. 1:20). There is nothing too difficult for the Lord, or impossible for Him to do. Everything happened just as Elisha had said.

As the rogue prophet, Balaam said, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Nu. 23:13).

This, my friend, you can take to the bank as you confront the ‘ridiculous’ promise of God in your life or face that bleak future you may be dreading.

It is well.